Finding Nico
by childrenofwisdomandlove
Summary: Nico di Angelo has had a rough time. He has returned to Camp Half-Blood before continuing to the House of Hades. There he meets Sarah Valdez, a lovely girl who surprisingly doesn't find him scary. Leo Valdez makes a couple of appearances :) Rated T because it's mildly depressing and there is some kissing. Cover art belongs to Viria. Go check out her art its super cool!
1. Chapter 1

**Hey there! This is another story I had written a while ago. The new character is Sarah Valdez, daughter of Poseidon. Hope you enjoy! Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson or the Rascal Flatts song When the Sand Runs Out used at the end. -Sicily **

SARAH

I was the only person that really saw Nico get off the _Argo II_ that day. He was wearing his black skinny jeans and aviator jacket, his hair hanging in his face. His eyes were as dark as midnight and filled with sadness. Nico di Angelo seemed so lonely and dejected my heart broke in two. I watched him walk off into the woods, and I followed him. He never gave a sign that he knew I was behind him, but I kept following. After fifteen minutes of walking, Nico reached Zeus's Fist, climbed it, and sat on top, staring into space and swinging his legs like a restless child. My heart and my mind had a little debate whether or not to join him, and eventually my heart won out. Quietly, I scaled the boulder and took a seat next to him. Nico turned and looked at me with his big black eyes. I caught my breath. Serious cuteness. He seemed surprised, like this was the first time anyone had sat next to him before. I smiled.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"I'm Sarah Valdez. Daughter of Poseidon."

"Why are you here?" he inquired.

"You looked lonely. I came to see if you wanted company." I replied.

"Okay." was his simple response. I could tell from his tone he didn't want me to leave, so I stayed with him. He didn't say a word, but that was okay. We just sat together.

When evening came he said to me, "We should head back."

"Okay." I replied.

We walked back to the Mess Hall, where dinner had already started. My cousin Leo met my eyes and smiled, but when he saw Nico with me he quickly averted his eyes. I think the whole "prince of the dead" thing freaked him out. Ironic, as Leo has always loved working with inanimate objects. I shrugged it off. I ate my dinner alone at the Poseidon table, got up, and went outside. Nico was waiting for me. I smiled at him.

"You okay?" I asked.

"No." He tried to laugh, but it didn't work so well. His eyes reflected how miserable he felt.

"Why don't we talk tomorrow? I'd say tonight, but I don't want to get eaten by a curfew harpy. Meet me at Zeus's Fist in the morning." I smiled again, and he returned it.

"Okay. I'll be there." he said.

I walked back to my cabin, thoughts swirling around in my head. I spent a few minutes looking into the saltwater spring in the floor, thinking. Eventually, I fell asleep, and I saw Nico's eyes; dark, sorrowful, and beautiful; in all my dreams.


	2. Chapter 2

NICO

As a son of Hades, you get along better with the dead than the living. Forever alone. I'd never felt a connection with another person before, but I felt drawn to Sarah. I wanted to pour out all my pent-up feelings onto her because I knew I could trust her. She would listen and understand, and not shy away because I'm the "prince of the dead". At first it threw me off, because I had never experienced that feeling. I was confused and a little dazed. I thought about it for a while, and by the time dinner was over I decided I needed to get to know this girl. When she came out of the Mess Hall, she approached me right away. I was nervous that I'd do something wrong and mess things up, but when she smiled at me that all went away. She told me we'd talk in the morning and went away. I stayed at the dining hall for a few minutes, leaning against the wall with my head in the clouds. It finally occurred to me that it was late and I should get back to my cabin, so I set off across the grounds. It took me a while to get to sleep that night, because I was so excited for the morning.

I woke up at 6 the next morning. It took me a few minutes to remember I was meeting Sarah in the woods. I got dressed and went outside. I was the only one up, which was a shame cause it was such a lovely morning. It was slightly foggy, and the sky was painted purple and pink by the rising sun. I hiked to Zeus's fist, and Sarah was waiting for me. A wave of nervousness swept over me, but she smiled and it melted away.

"Hey Nico." she said.

"Hi." I replied. She motioned for me to come sit next to her on the boulder, and I did.

"So." she said. "You're not okay, huh?"

"No." I answered.

She looked at me with her gray-blue eyes and said, "Tell me."

And I did. I told her my story, all the way from when I was young and thought Greek Myths were the coolest thing ever to when Percy left me in charge before he fell into Tartarus. She sat there and listened, patient and understanding.

When I was done she put her warm hand on mine and said nothing. I smiled at her, and she smiled back. I was so glad she was there. We sat there for a while, staring out into the woods.

I heard the breakfast bell ring in the distance and said, "We should head back." I didn't want to leave.

"Okay." she said. I jumped off the boulder and helped her down, and together we walked back.

When we got to the edge of the woods, she turned to me and said, "Nico, I'll always be here for you." She took my hand and gave it a quick squeeze, then strode off to meet her cousin. I stood there watching her until she went inside to eat breakfast. I didn't feel much like eating, so I whistled for my hellhound, Mrs. O'Leary. She came bounding up to me and started licking my face with her giant tongue.

"Ok, ok girl I'm glad to see you too." I told her. She stopped licking me and let me climb on her back. She lumbered back into the woods and dropped me off at the stream. I climbed off her back and waded into the water, which felt good. I got back on the bank and scaled one of the trees nearby. I sat in the branches thinking about Sarah for a long time. For the first time in a couple years, I was happy.

**Thanks for reading this far :D I'll try and post some more over the coming week it's a matter of copying and pasting everything. If you think it sucks, it gets better trust me. -Sicily**


	3. Chapter 3

SARAH

After my talk with Nico and breakfast, I visited my cousin Leo in Bunker 9.

When I walked in, he stopped tinkering, threw me his trademark troublemaker grin, and shouted, "Hey, cuz!"

"Hey, Leo!" I replied. I was happy to see him. He had always been my favourite cousin.

He held up his hand for a high five. "Long time no see!" he said.

"Got that right!"

"So, cuz." He sat down on a stool and plopped his elbow on the table. "I saw you with Nico di Angelo last night. And this morning."

"Yup. What about it?" I replied.

"I don't know about that guy. He's creepy." Leo held out his arms like a zombie. "RAWR I'm the prince of the dead!"

I laughed. "Leo, you're insane."

"No duh."

I giggled. "But seriously. Nico needs me. Can't you see how lonely he is? He needs someone to talk to."

"Why does he need you? He's got his ghosties!" Leo shoved his hands in his pockets and deepened his voice in a bad imitation of Nico. "Excuse me, Benjamin Franklin, could I ask for advice?"

I snorted. "No, Leo. He needs someone living who will listen to him and understand. Just give him a chance. Not enough people do that. He's more than just a prince of the dead. There is a sweet side to him, and I take it upon myself to make it show."

"Good grief cuz, I was just joking." Leo looked a bit taken aback.

"You always are." I remarked. "That's why you're my favourite cousin."

Leo pretended to blush. "Aw shucks."

I sniggered. "You goofball." I gave him a hug and exited Bunker 9. Nico's life story had depressed me a little, but as always Leo knew just how to cheer me up.


	4. Chapter 4

SARAH

The day was a normal one. I rode a pegasus, slept through Ancient Greek, trained in the arena, and scaled the climbing wall. At dinner, Chiron announced the monthly game of Capture the Flag. On the blue team: Hephaestus and Ares; on the red team: Athena and all the rest. Chiron dismissed us to the armories to suit up. I put on my armor and grabbed my sword, then ran to the arena. The red team leaders were de-briefing the other demigods on our strategy.

"All right everybody, listen up! Listen up!" shouted Peter, the head of the Athena cabin. "Tonight, we accept nothing less than victory. Apollo cabin, you guard the flag which will be placed in Scylla's Cove. Shoot anyone who comes near it. No fatal wounds, remember. Demeter cabin, help them. Grow some poison ivy or something to protect the flag. Everyone else, look for the flag. When you find it, look for traps and ambushes. Any questions? No? Alright then. Everybody BREAK!" The red team let up a mighty battle cry and ran for the woods. I was extremely excited. I had a good feeling we were going to win this time around. A smile crept over my face as I charged towards the stream, the boundary line. The two teams faced off, swords ready. Chiron blew his whistle, and the game began. I immediately created a tidal wave that disoriented the opposing team. While they were all off balance, the me and my teammates attacked with a loud battle cry. I knocked a few people unconscious, then sneaked off to find the blue flag. Adrenaline pumping through my veins, I sprinted into the woods, eager to win. Then I felt it. A chill, like a cold breath was blowing on the back of my neck. I turned around, but nothing was there. Weird. Wary, I continued on. Soon I felt the chill again. Getting seriously freaked out, I stopped and cried, "Hello?"

"Hello, daughter of Poseidon." I whipped around, to find myself face to face with a woman made of dirt. My heart turned to ice. Her eyes were closed, as if she were asleep. The woman radiated such terrible power my knees buckled. I hastily stood back up and drew my sword.

"Who are you?" I shouted, hoping I sounded braver than I felt.

"The rightful ruler of this world." Her voice was deep and magnified a thousand times, so the forest reverberated with the sound. "I will rise. And no one will be able to stop me. Not even your pitiful cousin and your pawn of a half-brother. Already, Percy's strength begins to fade. Soon, he will serve me willingly."

"You're wrong!" I shrieked. "Percy will never join you!"

The dirt woman laughed, which sounded like a thousand knives scraping against metal. "You think him strong, little girl. Perhaps he is, but when he sees his only half-blood relative tortured, he will bend." She laughed again, and I fell to the ground. My vision blurred, then went black altogether.

**Oh the suspense! ;) Sorry my chapters are so short that's just how I write. More chapters will be posted later! If you've actually read this far, I appreciate it a LOT. I know the first few chapters stank but hey, it's getting better, right? -Sicily**


	5. Chapter 5

NICO

I was in that tree longer than I thought. The time flew by while I was thinking about Sarah and my sucky life. Next thing I knew, campers in full battle armor were fighting and yelling below me.

_Darn it, _I thought. _ I missed Capture the Flag._ Cursing myself for losing track of time, I climbed down. I wandered around for a while until I came to the shore. I sat on the beach, feeling a little bummed that I had missed the game. Out of the blue, a chill ran down my spine, like someone was running an icicle down my back. I whipped around, drawing my sword.

"Gaea! Show yourself!" I yelled.

The sand around me rumbled and shook, and a face appeared in the ground. It was cold and beautiful, terrible and powerful.

_Good, _it mused. _You know me, child of Hades._

"Be gone!" I commanded. Gaea laughed.

_You have no power over me, puny demigod. I am very much alive. But I don't think your girlfriend, that child of Poseidon, will be much longer._ The goddess laughed again, and her face melted away, replaced by a view of the woods. Sarah was lying motionless, and a giant scorpion was creeping towards her.

"NO!" I cried, and rushed into the woods. I heard Gaea laugh behind me, calling _Run, run little demigod!_ I did not disappoint. I ran as fast as I possibly could. I had lost enough loved ones to the Underworld, and I wasn't about to lose Sarah. As I sprinted, I prayed to my father and all the gods to keep her alive.

At last, I burst into the clearing where Sarah lay. The scorpion looked up and me and screeched.

"Don't you touch her." I said. I quickly got between Sarah and the scorpion, sword raised. The foul creature hissed and charged. I rolled to the side and hacked at its legs. It spun around to face me, waving its stinger. It charged again, but I raised my hands, and a fissure spouting Greek fire swallowed the monster. I heard it scream as it fell to Tartarus.

I collapsed to my knees. Summoning the portal to Tartarus had drained me, but I managed to stand up again and stumble over to Sarah, who was out cold. I put a hand on her forehead. I could feel her life fading away.

"Oh no you don't." I muttered. I called for help, and, thank the gods, a handful of demigods came running, among them her cousin Leo.

He stepped forward and demanded, "What happened to her?"

I told him I didn't know, I'd just got here. Leo glared at me, like I was to blame. He and his companions picked her up and carried her out of the woods. I followed behind, praying she'd be alright.


	6. Chapter 6

SARAH

"Percy!"

"Annabeth, go!"

"I'm not leaving you." She sobbed.

"There's nothing you can do! Go close the Doors!"

There was a moment of silence, probably because the two were kissing.

"Don't you leave me Seaweed Brain."

"I won't. I'll wait here until you get back."

The girl sobbed harder. "I can't leave."

"Annabeth. You have to."

Another silence; more kissing.

"Now go, Annabeth. Go!"

My dream shifted. I was standing on top of a really, really big hill, overlooking a really, really big city. Athens, Greece. Next to me stood a giant.

It laughed harshly and coldly. "Gaea was right. The people of Greece are no match for my army. The world will fall. Gaea will rise."

I turned around and faced the largest band of monsters I had ever seen or imagined. Thousands of six-armed beasts marched forward, flanked by hoards of Cyclopes and crowds of other terrible monsters. Gorgons circled overhead like a pack of vultures, waiting to devour their prey. Terrified, I quickly turned back around, only to discover that I was being sucked into the earth. I heard a laugh that shook the hilltop, the same laugh I had heard in the forest.

_Yes, the giant is right._ The voice droned. _I will rise. And nothing can stop me._ My head was pulled under, and I woke up.

My vision was fuzzy at first, but I blinked a few times and it cleared up. Nico was standing over me, his face filled with worry. Chiron and Leo were having a heated conversation outside, but I couldn't tell what they were arguing about.

Nico saw that I was awake and smiled, and all the concern in his face gave way to an expression of happiness. "Hey." he said.

"Hey, Nico." My voice sounded like someone had run over my throat with a truck.

"You okay?" he asked.

I smiled. "I've been better."

He laughed and sat down at the foot of my bed. "You've been out for four days." he told me.

"Whoa." I said.

Nico nodded. "Yeah."

I smiled, but it faded away pretty quick. "What happened after I blacked out? How did you find me?" He told me what transpired in the woods. My heart almost burst. He had risked his life for me? The thought made me blush and my stomach felt all funny.

"You killed the scorpion? By yourself?"

Nico blushed a little. "Yeah."

"Nico…" my voice trailed off. I looked him in the eyes. "Thank you."

"What was I supposed to do? Let you die?" Nico's eyes dropped to the ground and he rubbed his shoe on the floor. "I've lost too many loved ones to the Underworld. I couldn't let you just slip through my fingers." He met my eyes again and smiled.

I just about fainted again. I smiled back. I didn't know what to say. I just took his hand and put my head on his shoulder, hoping the gesture expressed what I was feeling. Nico looked a little surprised, but he just smiled and looked out the window. I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep again.


	7. Chapter 7

NICO

I had stayed by Sarah's bedside almost the entire time she was unconscious. Her face was so pale she looked like she'd never seen the sun, and she barely moved at all. Most people would have thought she was dead, but I could sense that she was alive. Her life aura was extremely faint, but it was there, and it got stronger every day. When she woke up, I was so relieved I almost fell over. She sounded awful, but at least she was alive. Thank the gods.

When I told her about the scorpion, her eyes got real big. Her pale skin brought out the blue tint in her eyes, and they sparkled like the ocean. I had a hard time not staring into them. I told her about how I killed the scorpion, and her expression changed. I wasn't quite sure what it was, but it sure looked good. When I was done telling the story, I think she teared up(her eyes were even more sparkly). She looked at me and her face just near broke my heart. She laid her head on my shoulder, and a little jolt went through me, like static electricity. When she fell asleep, I laid my head on top of hers and stared out the window. I didn't know what pure happiness felt like, but I was pretty sure this was it.

After about a half hour or so, Chiron clopped in. He looked at me and her, smiled, and gestured for me to come outside. I nodded, and gently laid Sarah on the bed. I had this random urge to kiss her on the forehead, but I restrained myself and followed Chiron outside.

"Nico," the centaur began. "I am afraid Sarah is in danger."

I felt like a wet towel was thrown over me, suffocating my happiness.

"You said Gaea appeared to you, taunted you, then showed you Sarah and the scorpion?" asked Chiron, as calm and patient as ever.

"Yes, sir." I answered

"Hmm." Chiron grunted. "You see Nico, you are one of the most powerful demigods in this world. Gaea sees you as a very potent threat, and wishes to either kill you, or bring you to her side. Preferably bring you to her side. If she had the proper leverage, she could manage that quite easily."

"You mean the scorpion—

"Was a test, yes. She wanted to see how you would react, and if she could use Miss Valdez as leverage not only for Percy, but for you. She could kill two birds with one stone. The birds being you and Percy, the stone being Sarah Valdez."

Shock and horror overwhelmed me. I had put Sarah in danger, and played directly into Gaea's plan. How could I be such a stupid fool?

"Do not blame yourself, Nico." said the centaur. I swear he can read minds. "There was nothing you could do. Do not dwell on the past."

I nodded. Press forward, I told myself, but my heart wasn't into it. There were so many unanswerable questions, so many fears.

Chiron put his hand on my shoulder. "Do not worry, son. Sarah will be safe."

I nodded again, but kept staring into space. Chiron sighed and cantered away. I lingered on the porch a moment, trying to cope with all the feelings. Eventually I went back inside and sank down on the foot of Sarah's bed. She looked so pretty asleep, her blonde hair spread all over the pillow. Looking down at her, realizing I had put her in dire peril, I finally broke down. A few tears slipped down my face.

Suck it up, I told myself. Sons of Hades don't cry. It didn't help. More tears came. I just sat there, crying, for a long time. I felt so lost and guilty. I had put this girl in danger, and there was no way to get her out.

Finally I got up and took Sarah's hand. I gave it a little squeeze, and she smiled in her sleep. I don't know if she felt that squeeze, or it was just coincidence. I assumed it was coincidence. I turned to leave, and I got that irrational urge to kiss her again. I shoved it aside and strode out into the night.


	8. Chapter 8

SARAH

When I woke up the next morning, Nico was gone, replaced by Leo.

"Morning Sleeping Beauty!" he yelled.

"Hi Leo." My voice still sounded awful.

Leo sat down at the foot of my bed. "How ya feelin, cuz?"

"Eh. A little better." I smiled.

Leo stood up. "Can you walk?"

"I don't know. I haven't tried." I experimentally put my feet on the floor. "I'm pretty sure I can." I stood up, wobbled a little, but didn't fall over. I took a few steps, and still didn't faceplant on the floor.

Leo grinned. "You've always been a quick healer. Must have a strong immune system." He flexed his arms, but there was nothing to flex, so he looked quite ridiculous. I laughed.

"Anyway," he said, dropping his arms. "I just came to see how you were doing." he looked inquiringly at me.

"I'm feeling fine, Leo." I smiled. "Thanks for coming by."

"No problem cuz." He came over and gave me a hug, then sauntered off. Wishing I could feel as carefree as Leo, I sighed, walked to the window, and leaned out. Breathing in the strawberry-scented air caused me to smile. I stood there for a long time, enjoying the sunshine and watching the satyrs chase the nymphs around the grounds. After a few minutes, I heard the sound of heavy boots walking up the stairs to the infirmary. I immediately knew it was Nico and turned around, just in time to see Chiron beckon him into the Big House. Puzzled and curious, I went to the opposite wall and put my ear to it.

I heard Chiron say, "Nico, you can't tell her anything about this."

"Why not?" Nico demanded. "She has a right to know what's going to happen and why she has to stay at camp." My heart beat double-time and dread enveloped me. What ifs and why nots whirled around my head like a balloon flying out of control. What on earth were they talking about?

Chiron sighed. "Nico, it would tear her apart to know what happened."

"It would be worse for her not to know." You tell him, Nico.

There was a pause, in which I could hear Nico breathing hard. Gosh he was angry.

"Alright," said the centaur. "You may tell her. She has a right to know, especially since she has taken particular interest in you."

"Thank you, sir." Nico walked out of the room. I hurriedly strode back to the window so he wouldn't know I was listening. I heard him enter the infirmary, and I turned around. I guess I had never realized how handsome he was, with his messy black hair and dark eyes.

I smiled and said, "Hey."

"Hey," he replied. "Do you feel well enough for a walk in the woods?"

"Of course." I said. "Give me ten minutes."

Nico nodded and walked out. I changed into the spare set of clothes on the nightstand and brushed my hair, all the time wondering what he needed to tell me, and what would happen when he did. A horrible nagging in my head kept repeating, "You'll never see him again, you'll never see him again." No, I shot back. That can't be true. Still worrying, I walked outside, where Nico was waiting for me. He was dressed in the same outfit he had been when we met, black skinny jeans and aviator jacket.

"You ready?" he asked.

"Yes." I answered.

We hiked into the woods. Nico seemed nervous and really upset, so I took his hand. He smiled at me, and we continued on, hand in hand. We reached Zeus's Fist, climbed it, and sat down.

"Sarah…" Nico began. His voice cracked and he quickly dropped his eyes, clearly lost. My heart wrenched. Not just because of the adorable voice crack, but because Nico looked so desolate and miserable I thought he was going to break down.

"Nico, what's going on?" I asked. He swallowed and looked at me, and his eyes were shiny. Then he began to tell me.

**I think we'll stop there for now :) Thank you everyone for reading this! I hope you're enjoying it! -Sicily**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello! Sorry it took me a while to get some more uploaded I got busy with other stories and such. Here is the next few chapters! Hope you enjoy! And sorry if Leo is terribly OOC he's just so hard to write. -Sicily**

NICO

Telling someone you put them in mortal danger so you can never be with each other again and oh hey I might die on my quest is extremely difficult. It's not like you can just walk up and blurt it out in one sentence. You have to start slow, but when you do, you think of all the stuff you have to say and all that's going to happen and you choke up, which does not help at all. This is where my godly parentage got in the way. Children of Hades do not deal with delicate emotions and sensitive feelings well. Socializing with the living is not something that comes naturally. This unfortunate weakness made breaking the news to Sarah very hard. She was patient though, and didn't rush me.

"Sarah…" my voice cracked. Lovely. I looked down at the ground, mildly embarrassed, and tried to get a grip.

She asked me what was going on, and I could hear the concern in her voice. I took a deep breath and began to explain all that happened. I told her how the scorpion had been a trap set by Gaea, and how I had played right into it. She didn't seem angry or upset, but I could tell she was really worried. Her eyes got big and her eyebrows knit together, which looked surprisingly cute. When I got around to telling her she had to stay at the camp until the war was over, she protested a little.

"Why should I have to stay? I can fight just as good as anyone else."

"It's not about how good you fight. It's about keeping you safe. Gaea will do everything in her power to capture and torture you to use you for leverage."

She looked quite annoyed, but she knew I had a point.

"I couldn't let you fall into her hands when it would be so easy to protect you." I continued. "I know you aren't stupid and that you'd be careful, but we can't risk it." I looked at her pleadingly hoping she would understand. She met my eyes and tried not to smile. That puzzled me.

"What?" I asked.

Sarah quickly looked away. "It's nothing."

"No, c'mon. What was that little trying-not-to-smile look for?"

She started swinging her legs, obviously embarrassed. "It's just…" her voice trailed. "Your eyes."

That caught me off guard. What was so fascinating about my eyes?

"What about them?" I asked.

Sarah blushed, which really brought out the blue in her eyes. "They get really pretty when you're worried. They get all big and… yeah." She flushed even brighter red.

Whoa. She had just said my eyes were pretty. I was not expecting that one. I might have blushed, but I'm not sure.

She looked up at me and said, "Sorry."

Girls sure are complicated, I thought. "For what?"

"I didn't know if I had made you uncomfortable or something…" she looked a little uncomfortable herself.

I smiled at her. "No way. That's the sweetest thing anyone's ever said to me." She smiled back at me, and that weird impulse to kiss her swelled up in my chest. We edged a little closer. Gods, she's cute, I thought. My whole body felt warm and fuzzy and I could feel her breath on my face when I heard a rustling behind us. We broke apart and drew our swords. Out of the bushes popped Sarah's cousin Leo.

"Leo!" Sarah yelled in frustration and surprise.

He attempted a winning smile. "Hey, cuz!"

Sarah was not amused. Her eyes flashed, and I could almost see waves rippling through them. "Leo, this is not a joke, unlike the rest of your life."

Mental note: do not get on this girl's bad side.

Leo looked hurt at that. "I was just heading to Bunker 9…"

"Don't you dare lie to me." Sarah raised her voice. "I've been to Bunker 9, and I did not have to pass Zeus's Fist to get there. You followed us." She threw her arms up in the air. "Is there no privacy on this stinkin earth?"

Leo's face looked so miserable I felt sorry for him. Then I remembered he had interrupted my first kiss and my pity vaporized. I pointed my sword at him. "Valdez, leave."

Leo glared at me. He opened his mouth to say some snarky comment but shut it when Sarah spoke.

"Leo, please go away." Her voice was a mixture of aggravation and sadness.

"Cuz, I'm sorry." Leo looked desperate.

"Sure." Sarah turned to face him. "Did you ever think, Leo, that this isn't a joke? This is very serious to me, and I don't need goofballs like you messing them up."

Leo's face crumbled. He left without another word, but gave me a don't-touch-my-cousin look.

Sarah turned to me and said, "Sorry about that. Leo's always been a joker, but this…" She slumped down on the rock, and I sat down next to her. She sighed and stared out into space. We sat there for a while, until Sarah looked at me and spoke.

"So. You were saying something about keeping me safe…?"

"Yeah. You have to stay at camp until we defeat Gaea because we don't want you to get captured."

Sarah nodded. "Is there anything else you need to tell me?"

I sighed. I had put the final truth off for long enough

"Yeah." I took a deep breath. "On this quest…" my voice trailed. I gazed into Sarah's blue-gray eyes and forced myself to get it out. "There is a very slim chance of me returning to Camp Half-Blood. Ever."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Sarah, I think I'm going to die."


	10. Chapter 10

NICO

I braced myself for a terrible reaction, but it never came. Sarah stayed calm, but I could tell she was really upset. She stared off into space and said nothing. I took her hand and gave it a squeeze. Sarah dropped her head and took a deep breath.

"Why?" Choked up, she cleared her throat and tried again. "Why?"

I squeezed her hand again. "The line in the prophecy says 'An oath to keep with final breath'. When Percy fell into Tartarus, I swore I would lead the remaining demigods to the Doors of Death. I'm pretty sure that is the only oath taken so far in the quest. And with the Doors of Death…" I bit my lip. "I'm going to have to close them from the inside."

Sarah's head jerked up. "You mean you are going to be trapped in the Underworld?"

I nodded. Her expression was sad beyond words, and her eyes turned a cloudy gray.

"Hold me." She said. I put my arms around her, and she buried her face in my shoulder. I rested my head on hers, wishing I had never gotten into this quest and that I could just stay here, hugging Sarah, forever.

A few minutes went by, then I saw her shoulders shaking and felt wet spots on my shirt. My heart broke. Why did this have to happen? Why did she have to find me just as I was going off to die? Those questions and more ricocheted inside my head like a pinball. I closed my eyes and told myself not to worry about the future, to just enjoy the moment. When I finally relaxed a bit, all these little details popped into my head. I noticed how many different colors were laced in Sarah's hair, how good it smelled, and how utterly soft and silky it felt. Strands of her hair cascaded around her face, hiding it. I tucked a stray lock behind her ear, and she looked at me. I noted how long and curly her eyelashes were, how clear her skin was, and how the redness from crying really brought out the deep blue in her eyes. I smiled, and I really didn't want to know how sappy it looked. She smiled her beautiful smile, and I just about passed out. To my surprise, she reached up and kissed me cheek. It was just a little kiss, but I felt like I was melting.

"We should head back." She said.

I nodded and mumbled incoherently. It didn't occur to me that we were leaving until she slid off the boulder. I followed suit, and took her hand once we started walking. We hiked back to the edge of the woods, and when we got there, Sarah lingered like she didn't want to leave. She looked up at me and asked if she looked okay.

"You look amazing," is what slipped out. Cheesy, I know. She smiled, gave my hand a squeeze, and reluctantly walked away. I leaned against a tree, dazed. She did look amazing. I stayed there, thinking about Sarah, until the dinner bell rang.


	11. Chapter 11

SARAH

I don't really remember what happened after I left Nico. My brain felt like someone had tied it in a tangled knot. I think I just wandered around camp, feeling awful. At one point I went down to the shore and dove underwater to try and clear my head. When I resurfaced, I felt calmer and more composed. I took a deep breath and swam back to the beach. In the distance I heard a bell ring. My stomach growled, and reluctantly I trudged back to camp. Before I ate my dinner, I scraped the best part of my meal into a fire, praying to my father and Hades and all the other gods that they would keep Nico di Angelo safe. I sat back down and ate as fast as I could so I would have time to take a pegasus for a ride. When I had finished and walked out of the dining hall, Chiron was waiting for me.

"Hello, Miss Valdez." he said.

I smiled half-heartedly. "Hi."

"I was wondering if you would come with me to the Big House for a little chat?" The centaur offered his hand. I nodded and he swung me up onto his back and cantered off. When we reached the Big House, Chiron motioned for me to sit at the Ping Pong table, and I did. He transformed back into his wheelchair, so he was my height.

"Sarah, I take it Nico has told you what will happen on his quest?" he asked.

I blinked back tears. "Yes, sir."

"Mm," Chiron grunted. "And has he told you how you must stay at camp, even when the fighting has started?"

I nodded. "Yes, sir."

Chiron looked at me with his three thousand year old eyes. "I would be surprised if you were not a bit annoyed with this prospect." He smiled. "A spirited daughter of Poseidon like yourself would never want to stay at home while you could be out doing your part to save the world."

I nodded. That was exactly how I felt.

Chiron sighed. "Percy has that same attitude. I believe it runs in the family." He smiled and put a hand on my shoulder. "Have patience, Sarah, and do not do anything rash."

I nodded. "I'll try, sir."

"Good." he said. "There is one more thing you should know, Sarah."

Crud, I thought. More bad news.

"The _Argo II _plans to leave tomorrow afternoon. If there are any good-byes you need to say, you might want to start on them tonight."

Tears welled in my eyes. I only had half a day left with Nico? That couldn't be right.

Chiron sighed. "I'm sorry, Sarah. I know it's hard. You should run along and go see him."

I nodded as a tear made its way down my face. I walked out of the Big House and ran back to my cabin, crying freely. I had only a little time left with Nico, the one boy I cared about. I burst into my cabin and flung myself onto the nearest bunk, sobbing. So many things had crashed on me today, and my brain had had enough. I lay there for maybe an hour when I heard a knock on the door.

I lifted my head. "Who is it?"

"It's Nico. Can I talk to you?"

I rolled out of bed, splashed some water on my face, and went outside, hoping my face looked okay.

"Of course." I said. We sat down on the steps, our shoulders touching.

"Chiron told me you were leaving tomorrow." I said.

He nodded. "Yeah. Leo told me." He looked at me. "I wish we had more time together."

I nodded. "Me too. There's so much I wanted to tell you."

"Same here." he agreed. When he lifted his head our eyes met, and I started noticing all these little details about him, like how adorable he looked with his hair hanging in his face, and how deep and beautiful his eyes were. He looked like an emo version of Aladdin… I know it sounds odd but trust me it was perfect.

Nico smiled this little half smile and my mind went blank. What was my name again…? He reached out and tucked a piece of my hair behind my ear, and his hand lingered on my cheek. His fingers were as cold as ice. I smiled at him, and his eyes sparkled. Gosh his eyes are gorgeous, I thought.

Suddenly a loud bell clanged in the distance and brought me to my senses. I looked at Nico, who was blushing furiously.

"I guess that was the curfew bell." I said.

Nico nodded. "Yeah, I guess. I should head back to my cabin." He stood up and started to walk away.

"No!" I exclaimed. I stood up and grabbed his arm. "Heck with the curfew! Let's go for a pegasus ride. Just you and me, over Manhattan."

"Pegasi don't like me." Nico said.

"I don't care! Look, this is the last night we have together." I pleaded.

Nico smiled. "Alright."

I turned to go but stopped myself. "Wait. We go on one condition."

Nico looked confused. "What's that?"

"We forget all the bad stuff that's happened and is going to happen. We leave it all behind and just have fun together. Can we do that?"

Nico grinned. "Most definitely."

I beamed. "Race you there!" I broke into a run, laughing. I sprinted as fast as I could, throwing all dignity and care to the wind. When I reached the stables, I slammed my hand against the wall, breathing hard. Nico was yards behind me.

When he reached the barn, he was laughing. "I think you won."

I giggled, still out of breath. "You think?"

He laughed some more, and I felt happier than I had been in a long time. We walked into the stables, and when we passed by, all the horses whinnied in distress.

"Calm down, everyone." I said. I put my hand on Nico's shoulder. "He's with me." The horses settled down, but still looked suspicious. I turned to Nico and started walking down the row of stables.

"Who do you want to ride? Porkpie is easy, but not very fast or exciting. Soldier's kind of a butt so let's not ride him…" I said.

Nico laughed. "Yeah maybe we won't ride Soldier."

"Nope." I agreed. "Now let's see… Ginger's not bad, but she's really tiny so we probably won't both fit. Atlas would work, but his flying is a bit choppy and hard for beginners. Enigma… Now Enigma would be perfect! Smooth flying, very cooperative, fun to ride. C'mon!" I motioned for Nico to follow me and I opened her stall door.

Enigma whinnied loudly. _The boy! He smells bad!_

I rolled my eyes. "C'mon, girl, he's fine. He's with me." I smiled. "I'll give you an extra apple when we get back."

Enigma snorted. _And an extra carrot_.

"And an extra carrot." I agreed. I led her out into the aisle. Nico looked nervous. I smiled encouragingly at him and mounted Enigma.

I offered him my hand and told him how to get on. "Just jump and swing your leg over." He tried, but Enigma skittered to the side. I smacked her lightly on the neck and told her to quit.

When Nico finally mounted, I told Enigma to take us to Manhattan.

_Will do!_ she snorted, and took off like a shot. Nico put his arms around me for balance, and I smiled to myself. Enigma soared above the big city, gracefully swooping and diving so we could admire the lights. Oh, I was in heaven. For the first time in a long while, I felt carefree and happy.

Nico put his chin on my shoulder and said, "This is perfect."

I smiled. "Yes it is."

"You want to know something?" Nico asked.

I nodded. "Of course."

Nico smiled. "This wouldn't be perfect if you weren't here." He kissed me on the cheek. "Thank you, Sarah."

I almost fell off the pegasus in happiness. I heard Enigma nicker softly, and I knew she was giggling. _Shut up_, I told her jokingly.

After an hour of cruising the skies of Manhattan, Enigma flew us back to camp. We dismounted, and I gave her an apple and carrot like I promised. Nico and I walked out of the stables.

"What do you want to do now?" I asked.

Nico shrugged. "I don't care. Just as long as you're with me." He smiled, and his eyes sparkled.

"How about we go to the shoreline?" I asked.

"Sounds good to me." Nico agreed. He took my hand and together we walked to the beach.

The water sparkled with the light of the full moon, and the sand looked pure white. Beautiful. I smiled at Nico, and he smiled back.

"I don't know about you," I ventured. "but I would love cruising around the ocean in a giant bubble."

Nico laughed. "That would be awesome." We kicked off our shoes and Nico took off his jacket. I took his hand and waded into the water. I willed Nico to stay dry too. I dove underwater and pulled him in. I made a giant air bubble around us, solid enough to stand on.

Nico beamed. "This is so stinkin cool."

I laughed. "Being a daughter of Poseidon certainly has its perks."

Nico snorted. "You think?"

I willed the bubble to move and smiled at Nico. "Being a son of Hades is cool too."

"Really?" Nico looked genuinely surprised.

"Of course!" I exclaimed. "You are one of the most powerful demigods ever. You can talk too ghosts, you can make boulders appear out of the earth—

"You find that impressive?" Nico asked.

"Heck yeah!"

Nico beamed. "That's a first. Most people think it's creepy."

"I'm not most people." I said.

"Got a point there." Nico agreed. I chuckled.

"No, I'm serious!" Nico said. "You are the only person I know who isn't scared of me. You're easy to talk to and you actually make an effort to be with me."

I frowned. "No one's done that before?"

"No one except Bianca and Hazel." Nico looked sad.

I touched his hand. I didn't really know what to say. He put his arm around my shoulders and smiled at me.

"I'm glad you came along, Sarah." He said.

"Ditto." We fell silent. A dolphin and a hippocampi swam by, and I waved at them. Eventually we sat down against the wall of the bubble and I leaned against him. He was cold, but I didn't mind.

"Sarah?" he asked.

"Yeah?" I replied.

"Has anyone told you that your hair is really soft?"

I laughed. "No, I don't think so." I looked up at him. "Has anyone told you that you're really cute?" I asked, knowing what the answer was.

"No." He said, and looked rather puzzled. "Am I?"

I smiled. "To me, anyway." Nico blushed, but looked really happy. I looked out into the water and saw a shark swim by.

"Hey!" I yelled to get its attention. It turned and looked at me.

_Yes, my lady?_ It asked.

"Do you know if the sun is up yet?"

The shark shook its head. _I'll check._ It swam up and was gone for about two minutes, then it came back. _The sun just rose my lady, _it reported.

I turned to Nico. "Think we should head back?" I asked.

He sighed. "I suppose."

I willed the bubble back to camp and to the surface. It rolled onto the beach and popped. Nico grabbed his jacket and we put on our shoes.

He looked at me. "Well that was some night."

I grinned. "It sure was."

We walked back to camp, and Hazel was waiting for us. She looked shocked and a little nervous.

"Where have you been?" She asked Nico.

"Um…" He looked at me and I shrugged.

Hazel started fanning her face. "Oh gods, if you pulled a Percy/Annabeth…"

Nico looked amused. "No, Hazel. It was nothing like that."

I was curious. What had Percy and Annabeth done that was so bad? I glanced at Nico and saw he was trying not to laugh.

Hazel still looked anxious. "Well you better get ready cause we have to meet Chiron at the Big House at 9."

I snorted. "No way Leo's gonna be awake by then, he normally sleeps til noon. I'll go make sure he's up."

Hazel looked at me. "Thanks…"

"Sarah." I told her. "Sarah Valdez. Leo's cousin." I held out my hand and she shook it tentatively.

"Anyway." Nico said. "I'll be there, Hazel."

Hazel smiled and walked off. I looked at Nico.

"A Percy/Annabeth?" I asked.

Nico laughed. "Oh yeah. Apparently they fell asleep in the loading dock of the _Argo_ one night. Hazel is the only one who's really bothered by it. For the 1940's that's pretty scandalous."

I giggled and Nico smiled. "Well, I'd better get to the Big House." He said.

"And I'd better get lazy bones Valdez out of bed." I said. We shared a smile, then left to do our various tasks.

**Wow, that was super long. Thanks for reading all that! -Sicily**


	12. Chapter 12

NICO

Man, I didn't want to go to the meeting with Chiron. I had spent a perfect night with Sarah, carefree and happy, and the old centaur would suck out all my cheerfulness like a sponge. Nevertheless, I trudged up Half-Blood Hill and entered the Big House. Jason and Piper were already there. Piper grinned and waved, and I smiled back. Jason nodded his head at me, and I did the same. I sank into a chair at the opposite end of the Ping-Pong table and, realizing I was extremely tired, put my head down. Hazel walked in with Frank a few minutes later and sat down next to me. I turned my head towards her, and she still looked anxious.

"What were you doing all night?" she whispered.

I sighed. "You're not going to let it go, are you?" She shook her head.

"If you must know, we went for a pegasus ride over Manhattan and then rode in a bubble underwater—

"Did you kiss?" Hazel interrupted.

"Gods, Hazel! Yes, I kissed her on the cheek. It's not illegal." I scowled.

Hazel looked shocked, but let it go. I put my head back down on the table, hoping to get some peace. Thirty seconds later, I heard a loud thud and cursing. I raised my head to see what all the commotion was. Leo Valdez stumbled into the room, wearing smoldering pajama pants and limping.

"Gods, who designed those stairs? Complete idiots…" he grumbled.

"Shockingly, it wasn't a Roman." Frank said.

Leo threw his hands in the air. "How many times do I have to tell you—

"Leo! Frank!" Piper stood up. "Sit down and stop bickering!"

The two boys scowled at each other but sat down. Almost immediately, Leo stood back up and started fiddling with the wide-screen TV. After a few minutes of tinkering, it read TEAM LEO in big letters and showed pictures of Narcissus, Edward, and Jacob with Hitler mustaches and devil horns.

Piper rolled her eyes and said, "Seriously?"

Leo grinned like a madman. "You just wish you had your own fan club."

Frank snorted. "Puh-lease. The only person in your fan club is Buford, and he happens to be a table."

Leo scowled and opened his mouth, but Chiron clopped in.

"Please forgive my lateness." He said, and glanced at the TV screen. "Leo, would you mind returning the TV to its original state?"

Leo looked displeased, but fixed the screen and sat down.

"Thank you." Chiron said with a polite smile. "I have called you here to debrief you on the latest of Gaea's plans and what exactly this next quest will entail…" I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I knew Hazel was shaking me. I blinked a couple of times and my vision cleared. Leo was passed out and snoring across from me, and Piper was leaning on Jason in a stupor. Chiron was gone.

"You fell asleep as soon as he started talking." Hazel told me, suppressing a smile.

Frank leaned over and said, "I don't blame you. I hadn't been so bored since English class."

I smiled and stood up, stretching and yawning. I asked Hazel what time it was.

"Ten. He talked for an hour."

I groaned, then walked over to Leo and poked him.

"My pants are on fire…." He mumbled.

I jabbed him harder. "Valdez."

Leo snorted like a pig and lifted his head. "What do you want?"

"What time will the _Argo_ take off?"

Leo shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe eleven?"

I nodded. "You can go back to sleep."

Hazel looked at me suspiciously. "What are you going to do until eleven?"

I rolled my eyes. "Hazel, honestly."

She looked at me meaningfully.

"Fine." I said. "If you don't mind I'm going to spend the next hour with the only girl besides you who enjoys my company and makes me feel happy. And yes, we might kiss. Big deal." I flounced out of the room, annoyed. I walked out onto the patio and Sarah was sitting on one of the swinging benches. She smiled really big, but when she saw my expression it disappeared.

"What happened?" she asked.

"The _Argo _takes off in an hour." I told her.

"What?! But…" she bit her lip.

I sat down next to her. "But what?"

"I just... I don't know I just figured we'd have more time together." She blinked back tears.

I put my arm around her. "I know."

She smiled at me and rested her head on my chest. I smiled to myself. She was the prettiest girl I had ever met. Honestly, I was content to spend the remaining hour cuddling with her.

I rested my head on top of hers and looked out onto the grounds. Birds were singing, and the air smelled faintly of strawberries. I dozed, vaguely aware of Sarah snuggled next to me and the various sounds of demigods training and monsters roaring. Next thing I knew, Hazel was shaking me awake.

"Oh my gods, you're no better than Percy!" My eyes flew open, and Hazel was standing over me, looking angry and scared.

"What do you want?" I asked, quite annoyed.

"Nico, the _Argo_ is leaving in a few minutes!" She exclaimed.

I sighed. "Alright." I looked at Sarah. Her hair had fallen over her face. I gently tucked it behind her ear and said her name.

Her eyes fluttered open. "What…?" she muttered.

"Sarah the _Argo_'s leaving in a little bit." I told her.

She jerked her head up. "Oh Nico!"

I smiled. "It's ok. Just walk me to the ship."

She smiled back. "Ok."

I stood up and offered her my hand. She took it and we walked across the grounds. I started to panic. I had known before that I would have to leave Sarah and go off and die on this quest, but it had never seemed real until that moment. These were my last few moments with Sarah. I looked at her and saw that she was crying. I stopped walking and put my arm around her. She sniffed and said,

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" I asked.

"For crying again."

I rubbed her arm. "It's ok." I smiled at her, and she smiled back. We started walking again. In a few minutes, we reached the _Argo II_. The rest of the crew was already on board, waiting for me. I turned to Sarah and took a deep breath.

"I guess this is goodbye." I said.

"Yeah." She said. We stood awkwardly for a while. I tried to think of something to say, and all of the sudden I had an idea.

"Sarah." I started. I slid my skull ring off my finger. "I want you to have this." I put it on her finger. She smiled.

"Nico.." she lifted her head. Tears slid down her cheeks. "It's never coming off my finger."

She rushed at me and gave me a bear hug. I hugged her back, trying not to cry myself. We held each other for a few seconds, but it felt like forever.

We pulled apart. I didn't want to go, but I didn't know what else to say, so I turned and started walking to the ship. A tear slipped down my cheek. I walked to the ramp, but I hesitated in stepping on. Putting my foot on that ramp would be the first step to my death. I sniffed.

I don't know what made me turn around, but I did. I saw Sarah standing there alone, crying, and I went a little crazy. I rushed towards her, and she ran to meet me. She ran into my arms and I kissed her hard. I felt like a supernova was exploding in my stomach. Everything else melted away. The only thing that mattered was Sarah.

We broke apart, but our foreheads still touched.

"I love you, Nico." She whispered.

"I love you too." I replied. I kissed her one more time on the lips, then we let go of each other.

"Be safe, Nico." She said.

"I'll try." I smiled at her, touched her cheek, then boarded the ship that would take me to my death.

**That was really long too! One more chapter, folks, then it's done! -Sicily**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'When the Sand Runs Out' by Rascal Flatts(that's the song lyrics I use at the end).**

SARAH

Watching Nico board the _Argo II_ was one of the hardest things I did in my life. Every instinct yelled at me to grab him and run away, but my common sense ruled that out. This was something that he had to do, and nothing could change that. No one would be able to pull him out of the danger that lay ahead.

When the _Argo_ disappeared into the clouds, I just stood there silently crying. I didn't really know what do to with myself. My insides felt empty, but strangely heavy. Even when everyone else had left, I stayed where I was. The boy of my dreams had just sailed out of my life for good, and I couldn't cope.

After an hour or so, my brain started working again. _Wake up_, I told myself. _You're just going to have to forget that boy_. But how could I? How could I ever forget those beautiful eyes that seemed to hold galaxies, or the feel of his lips on mine? No matter how hard I tried to shove thoughts of Nico away, they stuck in my brain like someone had branded them into my head. _It's no use_, I admitted. _Your angel will haunt you forever, you just have to accept that. _

I wiped my eyes, and the tears stopped flowing. I turned around and saw Chiron standing a few yards away, watching me. He beckoned me over, and I obeyed.

"Miss Valdez," he said. "There is yet hope."

"Please, sir." I said. "It's better for me to abandon hope all together, rather than keep a little and have it crushed."

Chiron pawed the ground. "I see your point. I know what it is like to have faith in something and see it fail."

I looked at him quizzically. "You forget I trained many of the great heroes, Miss Valdez." He said.

"Oh." I nodded.

He put a hand on my shoulder. "No matter how hard you try, you will never forget Nico di Angelo. It just isn't possible. But when you look back on the time you spent with him, do not let his potential death stand out. Instead remember the joyfulness you felt when you held his hand and the kisses you shared. Recall those happy memories rather than the painful ones. It will make life much easier."

The centaur smiled hopefully, and I returned it. Why hadn't I thought of that before? As Chiron galloped away, I concentrated on the pegasus ride me and Nico shared and smiled. Sure, it was a bittersweet feeling, but it was better than absolute despair. As I walked back to my cabin, I started singing the words of a song I had heard years before.

_And I stood there thinking as I said goodbye_

_Today's the first day of the rest of my life_

_I'm gonna stop looking back and start movin' on_

_And learn how to face my fears_

_That was then and this is now_

_I'm a new man, yeah I'm a brand new man_

**Whew! It's done at last! Thank you so much for reading this, it really means a lot. This story took me almost six months to write and it's finally done! Yay! Now I can work on some more short one-shots those are more my speed. Again, thank you so much for reading this! Hope you liked it! -Sicily**


End file.
